62 replies to this topic

[Dave Burrell]

Just obey the traffic laws and you have nothing to worry about.

Go with the flow of traffic, keeping in mind not to exceed the speed limit by 10 MPH.

That's usually the 'safe zone'.

If you arrive at your destination 24 seconds later than usual, big deal...You'll get over it..

well said, just do that and there will never be any stress about getting tickets

...and that 10mph "rule" seems to be very true.

[Darth Lefty]

Chip gets pulled over for excessive bolding.

[ChipShot]

Chip gets pulled over for excessive bolding.

But it's not my fault....really, it's not.....

Wahh, wahh......

Sound familiar ??

[Darth Lefty]

But it's not my fault....really, it's not.....

Wahh, wahh......

Sound familiar ??

No? Have I ever mentioned "fault"?

[j5mann]

It's not a matter of getting caught and taking responsibility for the crime. The cops watch you break the law in inconsequential ways all day long. What's the difference between all the times they don't pull you over and the one time they do? Is that difference worth three hundred bucks to you? Why is it worth three hundred bucks to the state?

It's my opinion that unless the offense is egregious and clearly a hazard to other people who were actually there, traffic tickets are a moneymaking scam. So yes, she spaced it. Yes, the cop can pull her over for it. She should have gotten a warning, maybe even a scolding. "Just think how awful it would have been if you'd hit someone!" But what she did does not entitle the state to a car payment worth of her money.

Which situation are you most likely not to run a red light again; after a warning, or after being hit in the pocket book for $300+.

[Darth Lefty]

No one is likely to run a red light. It was a flub. Everyone is likely to speed the very next time they get in their car. That's deliberate, ignored by the cops, and socially acceptable. Where's the line that suddenly costs $300?

[j5mann]

No one is likely to run a red light. It was a flub. Everyone is likely to speed the very next time they get in their car. That's deliberate, ignored by the cops, and socially acceptable. Where's the line that suddenly costs $300?

I'm just throwing numbers out there. Every speeding ticket varies.

There has to be some level of responsibility. If you honestly know you're at fault, then man up and stop trying to act some jackass trying to blame the whole world.

But if you truly believe you're innocent, then of course stand up for yourself. In this case, the women said she was guilty, and didn't make any excuses. I commend her honesty.

[pet lover]

you should not pay the ticket outright but secure a traffic court date with a judge. the ticketing officer has to be present at your trial for the charge to stick.

the strategy is to secure a court date and see if the officer shows up. if he fails to show the ticket will be dismissed.

part two of the strategy is to request a delay on your first court date. basically a reschedule of the date. in doing so you again increase the possibility of the officer not showing. again if the officer fails to show the case is dismissed.

if you actually do get to court you can plead with the judge that while you admit guilt you would like to request the court charge you for a lesser offense (cost wise) due to economic circumstances/hardhsip. some judges will accommodate you on such a request if you are reasonable, sincere and honest. plead your clean record and never having a ticket.

finally, you must make sure you negotiate and secure the right to attend traffic school so any offense is masked on your motor vehicle record. doing such will keep your insurance rates as they currently are.

having a ticket on your driving record will affect your insurance rates, substantially, for three years.

as you go through this exercise be reasonable, honest and respectful. they all go a long way in the courts.

don't flat out pay the ticket. you are cheating yourself out of opportunities to manage your driving record and cost of this ticket.

Great Advice!!!

[pet lover]

Which situation are you most likely not to run a red light again; after a warning, or after being hit in the pocket book for $300+.

I got stopped in October for going faster than the posted limit on the Iron Point hill in the morning on my way to work. The officer gave me a ticket for not having a front license plate and a warning on speed. To this day I am careful and ride my brake down the hill. I was appreciative that I was warned and not fined. I do wish they had created that hill with less of an incline for driving both ways...it sucks up on gas when driving up and wastes the brakes driving down.

[Darth.Central]

Jen just had the misfortune of being caught.

You all commit traffic infractions. There's not one of you that would pass a lie detector test to that effect. You just weren't caught when you commit one of your many traffic infractions.

And none of you are so moral that you've committed a traffic infraction and showed up to pay for it without being caught by a camera or police officer.

Next time you drive 1 mile over the speed limit or don't come to a full stop (no forward motion of wheels) drive yourselves to the nearest police station tell them to write you up and go pay the ticket.

So it really has nothing to do with morality. It's just whether you're caught or not.

[staffie]

The ticket is about $400 when you add fees. You have two options to fight it.

1) Ask for a trial by declaration. Its a totally awesome way to fight a ticket. You just write out your statement, the officer writes his and the court reads both (without you showing up) and mails you their decision. (about 1/2 the time the officer doesn't return a statement and you win by default). Then if you don't like it you can still request a hearing. Its the only time in law where you can have a decision thrown out because you don't like it!!!! The only downside is that you give up your option to automatically go to traffic school, however you can ask for traffic school if you lose.

2) If you lose the trial by declaration I highly recommend getting an attorney. A traffic attorney will charge you around $500. That's less than the cost of 1 year's extra insurance. Most of the time when the DA finds out you have an attorney they drop the case.

-Robert (never had a ticket on my record)

Theoretical question ... If the court finds against you on the trial by declaration, can you ask for traffic school then? Also, how long does the traffic school stay on your record? Thanks for your input!

[Darth Lefty]

Theoretical question ... If the court finds against you on the trial by declaration, can you ask for traffic school then? Also, how long does the traffic school stay on your record? Thanks for your input!

You can ask for traffic school right up until the end of your trial de novo. The judge says nope, you're guilty, and you ask that for your sentence. He will probably tell you yes. Some people put a note in their declaration that if guilty, they request it. I've done that but when I did, he simply found me guilty and I had to go in for the appeal. I think asking for it before you are found guilty for good, might weaken your position.

Traffic school doesn't go "on your record" and raise your insurance like points do - that's why this whole thing is a scam - but you can only take it once every 18 months.

[staffie]

The ticket is about $400 when you add fees. You have two options to fight it.

1) Ask for a trial by declaration. Its a totally awesome way to fight a ticket. You just write out your statement, the officer writes his and the court reads both (without you showing up) and mails you their decision. (about 1/2 the time the officer doesn't return a statement and you win by default). Then if you don't like it you can still request a hearing. Its the only time in law where you can have a decision thrown out because you don't like it!!!! The only downside is that you give up your option to automatically go to traffic school, however you can ask for traffic school if you lose.

2) If you lose the trial by declaration I highly recommend getting an attorney. A traffic attorney will charge you around $500. That's less than the cost of 1 year's extra insurance. Most of the time when the DA finds out you have an attorney they drop the case.

-Robert (never had a ticket on my record)

You sound very well versed in this area, so theoretical question ... if the court rules against you in the trial by declaration, can you ask for traffic school then? Also, how long does the traffic school stay on your driving record? Thanks for your input!

[Bill Z]

No one is likely to run a red light. It was a flub. Everyone is likely to speed the very next time they get in their car. That's deliberate, ignored by the cops, and socially acceptable. Where's the line that suddenly costs $300?

The line varies. Cops like to play games, just like everyone. At one of our car club meetings, we had a regional director of the CHP talk to us. He told us that sometimes an officer will set a limit just to see how many tickets he will write for that limit. One day, it might be 100 mph. He will only write tickets to speeders exceeding a 100 mph. The next day it might be 10 mph over the posted. Now obviously, the 100 MPH limit guy isn't patrolling the freeways in downtown Sac, but open stretches of I-5 where one can be safe while cruising at 95 mph if traffic permits.

As for what it takes to not get a ticket when caught, be nice, courteous, and respectful and your chances of getting just a warning are improved. cop an attitude with a cop, and you can just about guarantee he/she ain't going to let you off the hook. I'm always amazed on those cop shows when they show clips of the driver getting irate that they've been pulled over.

I had a friend that told us about one ticket where he was written up for all kinds of things, including "defective windshield wipers". In court, he said the judge looked at the charges and commented (I see we had an attitude problem). My friend admitted he was belligerent.

[old soldier]

that has got to be a rush for the old policeman to pull up behind the violaters car and turn on the flashers and see the body language of the driver go into submission.

then as the old officer approaches the car all polite and all wondering what kind of story the citizen is going to come up with. they could keep rrack and rate the best and worse excuses.


would an officer who just got chewed out by his wife or boss write more tickets